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Winemaker's Notes

Made from 100% Merlot grown in various estate vineyards in Umbria and harvested in early September. The wine is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and aged in Nevers barrels for 5 months.

Unfiltered to preserve its rich aromas of red fruit and spice, this Merlot is deep ruby red in color. The aromas of blackberry, tobacco and vanilla linger on the long and pleasant finish. Recommended with spicy dishes and sauces. A favorite with lamb.

Critical Acclaim

RP88

The Wine Advocate - "The 2007 Merlot, on the other hand, is just plain delicious. The wine possesses notable depth and inner sweetness, with waves of dark fruit, chocolate, spices and French oak that flow from its full-bodied, richly-textured frame. This bottling reveals terrific complexity and harmony, particularly in this price range. Riccardo Cotarella is known for his work with Merlot, and the wine is proof of his mastery with the grape."

Falesco Winery

In 2006, our customers purchased more bottles of wine from Falesco than from any other winery in the world! And it's no wonder, as this winery makes some of the top value wines in Italy, if not the world. Falesco's most popular wine is Vitiano, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese grown in Umbria. This is a perennial must-buy: It's lush and fruity, and always seems to garnish outstanding scores from the wine critics.

Falesco was founded in 1979 by Riccardo and Renzo Cotarella, brothers that also happen to be two of Italy's most acclaimed winemakers. Their philosophy is to strike a balance between the uniqueness of native Italian varieties and the versatility of more "international" grapes. As evidenced by the enormous popularity of their wine and the countless worldwide accolades they have received, they have clearly succeeded in achieving their goal. Salute!
View all Falesco Wines

About Other Italian

Lombardy

Home of the fashion capital of Milan, Lombardy is not quite Italy's capital of wine. It is, however, home to a few wines worth noting. Most vineyards are far north, far south or far east. First, in the south, the sparkling wine Franciacorta – this sparkling wine is made in the methode champagnoise and the better wineries produce wine that can hold it's own in a quality bubbly line up. Lugana, a pleasant, white wine made from Trebbiano, comes from Lombardy as well. Lean reds from the Nebbiolo grape are made further up in the Valtelliana region, near the Alps.

Emilia-Romagna

The region of Emilia-Romagna is better known for its food rather than wine. Most of the wine coming from this region is the red, slightly-fizzy Lambrusco. It's high in acid and best drunk young. The white coming out of the region is mostly Albana di Romagna. Made from the albana grape, it's typically dry and pleasant, although not found often.

Umbria

Talk about being in the center of things… the land-locked region of Umbria is smack dab in the middle of the country. The most familiar white wine of the region is Orvieto, named for the medieval Etruscan town. It's a Trebbiano-based wine with good fruit flavors and high acid. Originally a sweet wine, most Orvietos are now dry. Red wine from Umbria includes Torgiano and Montefalco - Torgiano made from the grapes of Chianti, while Montefalco uses the native sagrantino grape, making big and bold reds.

About Italy

A little ditty about Italy...

This country has about as many wines as its had governments. With 20 different regions, hundreds of DOCs and even more indigenous varieties, the amount of wine made in Italy is mind-boggling. Most of the juice, however, remains in the country for thirsty Italians. Wine is food in Italy and its rare that a meal is consumed without a glass
of vino. That said, it's not common to find many folks drinking wine without food either. In turn, it's a match, and a mighty good one at that. In fact, it's safe to say that Italian wine is a foodie wine – one that goes on the table for a myraid of meals.

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Fruity

Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.

Smooth & Supple

Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.